|
|
| |
| Mon, Dec. 1, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
Ethics panel says Carroll County should return private donation specified for employee bonuses Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 By Jason Wiest Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Ethics Commission said Friday that a private $20,000 donation Carroll County received to pay employees bonuses should be returned. State law prohibits public servants from receiving a gift or compensation other than income and benefits from their employer for performance of their job duties. The donor, who wished to remain anonymous, specified that the money be split evenly between the county road department and the sheriff's office for use as a bonus for selected employees. The recipients and the amounts of the bonuses were left to the discretion of the county judge and sheriff, but the bonuses have not yet been paid. Shortly after making the donation, the donor purchased an asphalt company that had already been awarded a bid by the county. "While the commission is not being called upon to address the potential conflict of interest in this relationship, it bears mentioning that such arrangement is, at minimum, suspect," the commission said in an advisory opinion requested by Robert T. Rogers II, prosecutor of the 19th Judicial District East. The donor wrote two checks revealing his or her identity, but a call to Rogers seeking that information was not immediately returned. In a separate case from Crawford County, the commission said County Judge John Hall could continue to serve the county as a hazardous material incident responder, for which he receives compensation. Hall was a hazmat responder prior to taking office. "Because the Justice of the Peace was receiving compensation from the county for his service as a Hazmat Responder before assuming office and continues to do so at apparently the same rate as other Hazmat Responders, the commission has concluded that the continued receipt of payment for such services is not prohibited," the commission said in an opinion. |
